Recommended reading for family?

[FullThrottleMalehem]

I need some recommended reading for my family. I'm posting here since it has to be about the FTM process specifically to help them understand. One family member doesn't know how to use the internet at all so I need some book suggestions, and the other just wants to have a good book on the subject. Preferably it will not be about getting bottom surgery unless it just talks about the medical risks or statistics a bit because that is something I am not pursuing due to cost and also lack of further medical advancement in the area. I might consider it if they ever are able to affordably grow those particular body parts in a test tube from our own cells and have full range of feeling with it, but until then not happening.

[CursedFireDean]

I'm interested in the answers to this- want to get my dad a book to help him understand.

[aleon515]

I really like "Just Add Hormones". It is breezy and really a nice read. He is very normal and easy to relate to. He may mention bottom surgery but it doesn't really figure in the book. I think in Amazon there is a look thru first section so that might be nice to see if it would suit you. He does have chapters like Dickless in Denver and so on, so not all parents would like that I think.


--Jay

[anibioman]

 gender identity by winfield  http://www.amazon.com/Gender-Identity-Ultimate-Guide-Happened/dp/0810849070 its a reference books so its priced as a text book wich sucks. but its good its also directed towards teens but im going on 18 and my doc recommended it.

[ford]

Here's one of the best pamphlets I've found for families; I know mine appreciated it: http://community.pflag.org/Document.Doc?id=202

[Andy]

Grab the March 18 edition of the New Yorker magazine, there's a very nice article titled "About a Boy."

[MattFlo]

This is something I put together for my family. It's all the information from pflag and multiple reputable sources compiled together in easily readable language. It's also age appropriate. It's all the information you want and none of the stuff you don't want. Example how GID is a mental illness etc. I collected this information and my partner formatted it. I hope you guys can find it of use as I did.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ugvspwttakgln9r/Trans%20Explanation.docx

[DriftingCrow]

Grab the March 18 edition of the New Yorker magazine, there's a very nice article titled "About a Boy."

Here's the Susan's newsroom topic that posted the link to this article:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,137240.0.html

I also remember seeing this in the Providence Phoenix, it gives a nice discussion about being trans from a medical perspective: http://providence.thephoenix.com/news/146479-born-in-the-wrong-body/ 

You can print any articles out for your family member who can't use the internet. Also, this publisher http://transgresspress.com/  has one FTM related book about bottom surgery and they are currently working on more trans books, so keep checking for new releases.

[aleon515]

This article is about Skylarkeleven , if anybody is following him on youtube.

--Jay

[FullThrottleMalehem]

Thank you all for the recommendations! I need something affordable, under $25 so unfortunately the one priced as a text book will be out of the question but I appreciate the recommendation.

[aleon515]

The New Yorker (which is pretty available) and Matt Kailey's book (Just Add Hormones) in paper back should work nicely. I think they might be a good balance, but look at Matt's book first. Might not be ok with chapters like Dickless in Denver.
Some parents would be fine with them. I think even my late parents would have been ok if they were in print like that.


--Jay

[Andy]

FullThrottleMalehem, if you like, I could mail you that New Yorker mag in a day or two when I'm finished with it

[Tad]

My dad did the whole internet thing.. but I bought the transgender child... left it on my bed while i was off at uni.. (where mom could take it if she wanted).. and she read it. It's a pretty good book despite being aimed at youth.

[Bastian]

If you live in Canada there is an individual named Michelle who published a small book called Re-introductions. It's MTF but it was amazing how clear and easy it was to read. Heck I even learned some stuff reading it! and used it as a template for my "Coming-Out Book" (which i've posted in the main transsexual forum and i'd recommend you check out, as the format based questions might help you to help your family understand/learn more about you). My parents picked up a book by Chaz Bono (Cher's son), they said it was ok, my dad didn't like it because it had a lot of focus on Chaz's own personal pressures due to his position (but it is a story about HIS transition and life so that doesn't surprise me so much). This is a bibliography I wrote from my book, which you might find helpful,

Brown, M, Rounsley C.; True Selves - Understanding Transsexualism; ISBN 0-7879-6702-5

   This book is well written and an easy read. It is anecdotal, but it doesn't have all    the jargon of psychological literature.

Stuart, K; The Uninvited Dilemma; ISBN 1-55552-013-8

   This book is the author's PhD thesis, and as such is clinical but very clear. It provides a clinical perspective on transsexuals. It also attempts to provide some statistical analysis to back up the assertions made.

Shaw, Michelle; Reintroductions

   This short book is is an extension of the pamphlets Michelle gave to friends and    family when she came out of the closet. Her book is a very easy read and provides a view into what it's like to be a MTF. While this doesn't apply directly to myself, I found reading her work very helpful in better understanding how I myself was feeling. She also includes photos of her transition, which I always find both helpful and inspiring. This pamphlet I have provided you is based around the questions she answers in this book as I found how she wrote it to be very straightforward.

"Accepting Dad" Accepting Dad: Embracing Gender Variant Youth — A Father's Journey to Acceptance of his Gender-Nonconforming Son. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2012.
   <http://www.acceptingdad.com/about-accepting-dad/>.

   I stumbled upon this blog one day while looking for blogs started by other FTM's, in search of information on other's experiences. It's about a father of two sons, one of which is gender non-comforting. (What does this mean? It means his son does not conform to    what our society says a young boy should be.) He speaks of how he has come to terms with who his son is, and his love is truly wonderful.

Hope that helps!